This invention relates to an improved showerhead. More specifically, the invention relates to a multi-mode showerhead having different combinations of continuous and pulsating sprays.
Numerous showerheads have been developed over the years for enabling the delivery of continuous and pulsating sprays of water. In recent times, comparatively great commercial attention has been directed at showerheads that provide both continuous and pulsating sprays, and various combinations thereof. One example of such a showerhead is described in Harmony, U.S. Pat. No. 4,346,844. Harmony shows an aerated pulsating showerhead having an inner shell rotatable within an outer shell to provide two different aerated water paths upon rotation of the inner shell within the outer shell. The first water path is discharged in the form of an aerated continuous spray while the second water path is discharged in the form of an aerated pulsating spray. Harmony also shows a non-pulsating aerated spray showerhead. However, the Harmony showerhead does not have a non-aerated spray, either in a pulsating or non-pulsating spray mode. As a result, the Harmony showerhead is limited in the various spray modes that it can provide to a user. Moreover, the Harmony showerhead only has two water paths that are activated upon rotation of the entire inner shell within the outer shell. This inner and outer shell design provides a showerhead that is cumbersome in structure and appearance to a user.
Another example of a showerhead that provides both continuous and pulsating sprays, and various combinations thereof, is described in Rogers et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,928. Rogers et al. shows a variable massage showerhead having an inlet end and an outlet end which rotates relative to the inlet end upon operation of a side knob. Depending upon the position of the outlet end, the Rogers et al. showerhead is capable of achieving four sprays: (1) a continuous spray, (2) a pulsating spray, (3) a combination continuous and pulsating spray, and (4) a pulsating misting spray. The Rogers et al. showerhead, however, does not have an aerated spray of any kind. Such aerated conveyances are desirable because they provide the user with the sensation of having more water flow than is actually being used. In addition, the entire outlet end of the Rogers et al. showerhead rotates with respect to the inlet end in order to change the spray mode. Therefore, the Rogers et al. showerhead poses the same structural problems as the Harmony showerhead.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a showerhead that is an improvement over the above prior art showerheads. The showerhead of the present invention provides a user with regular continuous spray, an aerated spray, a pulsating spray, and several combinations thereof. Therefore, the showerhead of the present invention has a wide range of different spray modes and combinations of spray modes for a user.
It is also an object of the present invention to achieve a new and better component arrangement for selecting among different spray modes and combinations thereof.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved showerhead in which the critical components of the showerhead with respect to the various spray modes may be easily removed from the showerhead for cleaning and restoration of free-flow through the critical components.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved aeration spray system to provide a generous aerated shower while using relatively simple components.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved system for providing a pulsating or massaging spray of water, again using relatively few and simple components.
A related object of the present invention is to provide such a showerhead wherein the removal of a component for cleaning and its ultimate reattachment to the showerhead may be accomplished easily and without any opportunity for damage to other operative components of the showerhead.